WSPC Local News Update for 10-1-25

October 1, 2025

📰 Today’s Local News from WSPC 107.3 FM & 1010 AM

Also heard on Magic 103.3 FM

Wednesday, October 1, 2025

🕙 Your mid-morning briefing from Dave Andrews in the WSPC newsroom

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🏙 Albemarle Earns Main Street America Accreditation for 32nd Year

The City of Albemarle has once again been designated an Accredited Main Street America program, marking the 32nd consecutive year it has received the honor since joining the initiative in 1993.

Main Street Manager Katie Lynn said: “Together with our partners, we are building a downtown that is vibrant, welcoming, and truly the heart of our community.”
In the past year:
- $5.3 million in private investment
- Nearly $1 million in public investment
- 10 façade improvements, 6 building rehabilitations, and 3 business expansions
Community engagement included 872 volunteer hours, valued at nearly $29,000.
The Summertime Sip Festival drew 600 visitors from 30 counties, raising $26,000.

Main Street America President Erin Barnes praised Albemarle and other accredited programs for creating welcoming, vibrant communities across the country.

🚔 Arrest in Albemarle

Authorities arrested 21-year-old Travari Javon-Allen Smith on Monday. He is charged with:

Possession of a firearm by a felon
Carrying a concealed gun

Smith is being held at the Stanly County Detention Center under an $85,000 bond.

🚦 Sheriff’s Office Holds Safety Check at West Stanly High

The Stanly County Sheriff’s Office, working with the NC Highway Patrol and police from Locust and Oakboro, conducted a precautionary checkpoint at West Stanly High School.

The event was educational only, not an enforcement action.
Officers checked that students had licenses, seatbelts on, and phones put away.
Conversations lasted about 10 seconds per vehicle.

The Sheriff’s Office thanked all agencies involved for helping keep students safe.

🎓 Pfeiffer Honors Shivon Lee with Starnes Award

Pfeiffer University has presented the 2025 Starnes Award for Outstanding Achievement to Shivon Lee, who has served as Pfeiffer’s controller since 2007.

President Dr. Scott Bullard called Lee a “respected and trusted advisor” with a strong sense of stewardship.
Lee said she was “shocked and humbled” by the honor, adding she feels privileged to work with such dedicated colleagues.
The Starnes Award, established in 1995, provides recipients with a $1,000 gift, an engraved award, and recognition on a plaque in Jordan Hall.

Lee earned her MBA from Pfeiffer in 2024 after completing her undergraduate degree at UNC Charlotte.